[PaulF]

Besides the in-ground garden, we do a lot of raised bed and container gardening. The entire containers are soilless mix (whatever quality mix is available at the cheapest price) and the containers are topped up every year and the new is thoroughly mixed in with the old mixture. We apply 10-10-10 at the beginning and then every ten days or two weeks water with liquid plant food, the formula depending on whether it is food or non-food plantings. We watch the plants and if it looks like there is a deficiency we side dress with what may be indicated by the observation.

The raised bed gardens are basically the same as containers but on a larger scale. I even have sent in a soil sample to a professional lab every three years just to get a handle what really needs to be added for best results. Usually the raised beds are OK but need a little extra Nitrogen to stay in balance.

Not being in a hot dry area I am sure the growing differences are tremendous and Florida's heat and humidity our growing conditions are very different. I don't know if what I do would have an impact on your situation, but there it is.